The BEST episodes of Sanford and Son season 5

Every episode of Sanford and Son season 5, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Sanford and Son season 5!

The misadventures of a cantankerous old man and his son, partners in the family junk business in Los Angeles' Watts neighborhood.

Last Updated: 11/27/2024Network: NBCStatus: Ended
My Fair Esther
star
7.97
31 votes

#1 - My Fair Esther

Season 5 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/14/1975

With a $1,000 prize on the line, Fred tries to groom Esther to win a beauty contest.

Directors: James Sheldon
Writer: Jerry Ross
Watch Now:Amazon
Donna Pops the Question
star
7.97
31 votes

#2 - Donna Pops the Question

Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/7/1975

With another marriage proposal in hand, Donna gives Fred an ultimatum.

Directors: James Sheldon
Watch Now:Amazon
The TV Addict
star
7.82
22 votes

#3 - The TV Addict

Season 5 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/30/1976

A hypnotherapist tries to cure Fred of his addiction to television.

Directors: Mark Warren
Writer: Jerry Ross
Watch Now:Amazon
Fred Sanford Has a Baby
star
7.76
21 votes

#4 - Fred Sanford Has a Baby

Season 5 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/23/1976

When Lamont goes out of town, Fred rents his room to a pregnant woman who goes into labor.

Directors: James Sheldon
Writer: Jay Burton
Watch Now:Amazon
Can You Chop This?
star
7.71
31 votes

#5 - Can You Chop This?

Season 5 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/9/1976

Fred steals Lamont's savings to become a seller of a kitchen tool called the Whopper Chopper.

Directors: Mark Warren
Writer: Joni Rhodes
Watch Now:Amazon
The Oddfather
star
7.67
27 votes

#6 - The Oddfather

Season 5 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/2/1976

After witnessing a murder attempt, Fred is a target for assassins as he recuperates in a hospital bed.

Directors: James Sheldon
Watch Now:Amazon
The Director
star
7.67
18 votes

#7 - The Director

Season 5 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/27/1976

Fred becomes the director of a community theater production starring boxer George Foreman.

Directors: Alan Rafkin
Watch Now:Amazon
Greatest Show in Watts
star
7.64
25 votes

#8 - Greatest Show in Watts

Season 5 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/16/1976

To legally keep the elephant left with him by a tenant, Fred must stage a circus in the junkyard.

Directors: Sid McCoy
Writer: Jerry Ross
Watch Now:Amazon
The Olympics
star
7.63
27 votes

#9 - The Olympics

Season 5 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/5/1975

Fred competes in the Senior Olympics to defeat a rival suitor for Donna's affections.

Directors: Mark Warren
Watch Now:Amazon
Lamont in Love
star
7.57
21 votes

#10 - Lamont in Love

Season 5 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/6/1976

To find the truth about Lamont's new girlfriend Janet, Fred goes undercover.

Directors: Alan Rafkin
Writer: Ted Bergman
Watch Now:Amazon
Camping Trip
star
7.56
32 votes

#11 - Camping Trip

Season 5 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/19/1976

Fred and Lamont go camping and reminisce, leading to several flashback scenes.

Directors: Alan Rafkin
Watch Now:Amazon
Ebenezer Sanford
star
7.56
34 votes

#12 - Ebenezer Sanford

Season 5 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/12/1975

Fred plays the role of Scrooge in his dream version of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol".

Directors: James Sheldon
Watch Now:Amazon
Steinberg and Son
star
7.56
27 votes

#13 - Steinberg and Son

Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/10/1975

Fred sues NBC for airing a show called Steinberg and Son, which seems to copy his life exactly but with white Jewish characters rather than black ones.

Directors: James Sheldon
Watch Now:Amazon
Sanford and Rising Son
star
7.55
29 votes

#14 - Sanford and Rising Son

Season 5 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/21/1975

Fred and Ah Chew start a takeout food business in the Sanford home but run afoul of the health inspector.

Directors: Mark Warren
Watch Now:Amazon
Divorce, Sanford Style (a.k.a.) Divorcee, Sanford Style
star
7.49
37 votes

#15 - Divorce, Sanford Style (a.k.a.) Divorcee, Sanford Style

Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/19/1975

Fred becomes entangled in a spat between Esther and Woodrow.

Directors: Alan Rafkin
Writer: Ted Bergman
Watch Now:Amazon
Bank on This
star
7.40
30 votes

#16 - Bank on This

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/26/1975

At the bank to seek a loan to open the Sanford Arms, Fred and Lamont find themselves hostages in a robbery.

Directors: Alan Rafkin
The Sanford Arms
star
7.34
29 votes

#17 - The Sanford Arms

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/3/1975

Fred and Lamont open a boarding house and fill the rooms with a variety of strange characters.

Directors: Mark Warren
Writer: Ted Bergman
Earthquake II
star
7.29
41 votes

#18 - Earthquake II

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/12/1975

Fearing a massive earthquake, Fred tries to sell the house and heads to Las Vegas.

Directors: Bill Foster
Writer: Jerry Ross
A Pain in the Neck
star
7.21
24 votes

#19 - A Pain in the Neck

Season 5 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/5/1976

Fred resorts to desperate measures to overcome his sudden back pain in time for an awards banquet in his honor.

Directors: Alan Rafkin
The Engagement Man Always Rings Twice
star
7.15
20 votes

#20 - The Engagement Man Always Rings Twice

Season 5 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/20/1976

After Lamont pops the question to Janet, Fred worries that the marriage will cause him to be alone.

Directors: Lewis Gomavitz
Writer: Ted Bergman
Brother, Can You Spare an Act?
star
7.14
28 votes

#21 - Brother, Can You Spare an Act?

Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/17/1975

To help new brother-in-law Rodney, Fred teams up with an old friend to make Rodney's gig as nightclub impresario a success.

Directors: Bill Foster
Sergeant Gork
star
7.04
24 votes

#22 - Sergeant Gork

Season 5 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/12/1976

Fred's tall tales about World War II give way to fantasy sequences starring the entire cast.

Directors: Bill Wyse
Writer: Ted Bergman
Della, Della, Della
star
7.00
24 votes

#23 - Della, Della, Della

Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/31/1975

An encounter with Della Reese causes Fred to support a political candidate whose opponent is backed by Lamont.

Directors: Mark Warren
The Escorts
star
6.91
22 votes

#24 - The Escorts

Season 5 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/13/1976

Fred starts an escort service but must entertain three ladies at the same time.

Directors: Alan Rafkin
Writer: Jerry Ross